Traffic safety belts



May 14, 1963 c. H. JACOBSON TRAFFIC SAFETY BELTS Filed June 29, 1961 INVENTOR United States Patent 3,689,143 TRAFFIC SAFET Y BELTS Carl H. Jacobson, Thompson, Conn, assignor to American Optical Company, Southbridge, Mass, a voluntary association of Massachusetts Filed June 29, 1961, Ser. No. 120,621 3 Claims. (Cl. 2-4) This invention relates to improvements in safety belts more particularly of the type intended to be worn by individuals attending vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic so as to render such individuals conspicuous for reasons of safety and separately identifiable from others in their vicinity.

Belts embodying a waist band and shoulder straps which are usually crossed at the front and back of a wearer have become quite commonplace and are considered to be an important, if not an essential, part of a traflic attendauts apparel. These belts are usually formed of materials which are either white or brilliant in color and are oftentimes reflective and/or luminescent or fluorescent in character so as to be, in one way or another, immediately conspicuous even under adverse lighting conditions.

Belts of this nature are also recommended for use by cyclists, hunters, pedestrians or others who might be subjected to the potential hazard or not being seen or readily identified as a person from some distance away.

As in the case of all wearing apparel, belts of the above-mentioned type must be supplied in sizes adapted to fit individuals of different statures or they must be rendered adjustable for this purpose. In order to avoid having to supply such belts in a multitude of different sizes, it has been the practice to provide size adjustment means on the waist and shoulder strap sections of such belts to permit a lengthening or shortening of said sections thereby rendering the belts at least somewhat universal for fitting purposes. Size adjustments are usually accomplished in the shoulder strap sections by the provision of conventional suspender-type slide buckles or the like which are self-locking and a like size adjustment of the waist band is provided by means of similar adjusting buckles, one placed at each side of the main belt buckle which couples the respective ends of the waist band together at the front of a wearer.

In adjusting the shoulder straps for length, the slide buckles may be moved along their respective straps to any desired position without interference from other parts of the safety belt. However, since the shoulder straps must be attached to the front of the waist band adjacent the main belt buckle with one being attached at each side thereof, their connections to the waist band have, previous to this invention, interfered with the size adjustment of the waist band. When the shoulder straps are connected to the waist band with stitchings or snap fasteners or the like, as has been the practice heretofore, the suspender-type size adjusting buckles adjacent the main belt buckle on the waist band can only be moved to positions between the said shoulder strap connections on the waist band and the main belt buckle. This, obviously, imposes an undesirable limitation in size adjustment of the waist band and suppliers are still required to make safety belts available in many different waist sizes.

The present invention overcomes this unfavorable condition through the provision of an improved safety belt of the above general character which has a waist band adapted to be adjusted to substantially all sizes required for proper fitting.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a safety belt having a waist band and shoulder straps adjoining the same wherein provision is made for permitting extensive adjustments of said waist band to be made so as to alter its circumferential dimension vw'thout interference from adjacent portions of said shoulder straps which adjoin said waist band.

Another object is to provide at least one end of each of the respective shoulder straps with a belt loop adapted to fit freely around the waist band in such manner as to permit size-adjusting buckles and double thicknesses of the waist band to pass unrestrictedly therethrough.

Another object is to construct and arrange such belt loops on at least one end of each of the shoulder straps so as to permit the shoulder straps to be removed from or looped around the waist band without disconnection or removal of the waist band from an individual wearing the same.

Another object is to form said belt loops of a flexible strap-like material preferably similar to that used in the fabrication of the shoulder straps and/or waist band portions of the safety belt.

Another object is to construct said belt loops each of a single relatively short length of flexible strap material having interconneotable snap-fastening means or the like adjacent opposite ends thereof.

Another object is to provide a safety belt of the above character having a waist band to which shoulder straps are immovably detachably secured adjacent one of their ends and looped around said waist band adjacent their opposite ends to provide securement of said opposite ends with freedom of movement for adjustment of said loops laterally along said waist band.

Another object is to provide a safety belt of the above character wherein at least the major portion of the exposed sides of the belt material thereof is formed of or provided with material which is of a brilliant color or eye-catching nature.

Another object is to provide at least said exposed side of said belt with material which is further characterized to have fluorescent or luminescent characteristics.

A further object is to provide the normally exposed sides of said belt straps with a coloring which will be ereinafter referred to as blaze orange and which is technically described as being a daylight fluorescent orange with dominant wavelengths between 595 and 605 millimicrons, a luminescence factor of not less than 50% and an excitation purity of not less than Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a safety belt of the type relating to this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the lowermost forward portion of the belt;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken approximately along line 4-4 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the various views thereof, it will be seen in FIG. 1 that the belt which is indicated generally by reference numeral 10 embodies a waist band 12 and shoulder straps 14 and 16 which adjoin the waist band 12 adjacent their opposite ends.

The waist band 12 and shoulder straps 14- and 16 are preferably formed of a standard cotton webbing which is commercially available in belt form and in various widths. A width of approximately two inches is preferred in this particular instance and, while the belt material may be colored by dyeing or bleached white so as to be conspicuous when worn, the present invention provides a thin strip 18 of a brilliant eye-catching material upon the side of the belt which is to be exposed when the belt It) is in use.

The material 18 is lock-stitched to the waist band 12 and to the shoulder straps f4 and 16, as shown at 2 9, and comprises preferably a relatively thin nylon cloth coated with polyvinyl chloride containing luminescent material which is blaze orange in color. Blaze orange which is technically described hereinabove has been found, after a thorough scientific study, to be the most conspicuous and best known color for safety reasons and is described in detail on pages 43-46, 104-112 and 124l27 in the publication entitled National Safety News, volume 82, No. 5, 1960.

Referring more in detail to the construction of the safety belt 10, it will be seen that the waist band 12 is formed of a single length of belt material and is provided with a detachable main belt buckle 22 adjacent its separable ends which is intended to be worn at the front of a person.

The buckle 22 embodies two interconnectable sections 2 and 26 each having a laterally extending interlocking I arm 28 and 30 respectively which arms are adapted to interfit with one another to connect the two sections of the buckle 22 together as shown clearly in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. The two sections 24 and 26 are carried adjacent the ends of the waist band 12 which are intended to be separable at the front of a wearer and the buckle sections 24 and 26 are each provided with a slot-like opening 32 of a width and height such as to freely receive the material of the waist band 12. The waist band material is passed through the openings 32 of the respective belt buckle sections 24 and 26 from front to back and turned back upon itself at the inner or rearward side of the waist band to form a loop (see FIG. 4) around each of the buckle sections. The resultant opposite ends 44 of the waist band are then joined to the waist band proper by means of conventional Suspender-type adjusting buckles 34 and 36 respectively. The adjusting buckles 34 and 36 each embody a pair of juxtaposed slot-like openings 38 and 40 of such size as to freely receive a single layer thickness of the material of the waist band 12 while being of such size so as to accept, but rather tightly receive, a double thickness of said waist band material.

The adjusting buckles 34 and 36 are initially placed upon the waist band by threading the waist hand through one opening 38, for example, and back out through the other opening 46 (see FIG. 4) thereby passing the material of the waist band around the center bar-like part 42 of the buckles 34 and 36. The above-described loops of the waist band material are then made by passing the material through and around the sections 24 and 26 of the main belt buckle 22 and the resultant free ends 44 of the waist band are brought back and directed around the part 42 of the adjusting buckles 34 and 36- together in sideby-side relation with the first portion of the waist band material and in the same direction; that is, from the side of the adjusting buckles 34 and 36 which is away from the main belt buckle 22 back toward said buckle 22. This locks the looped ends 44 of the waist band 12 in place and tension on the waist band 12, which might result from pulling the sections 24 and 26 of the main buckle 22 toward each other, tends to bind the adjoining portions of the waist band material together where they pass through the adjusting buckles 34- and 35. I

Adjustment of the overall length or" the waist band is accomplished by relieving the band of all tension and threading the forwardly exposed portion of the waist band material through the adjusting buckles 34 and 36 preferably in an equal amounts either toward or away from the main belt buckle 22 without disturbing the relative positions of the ends 44 of the waist band material. This adjustment can usually be made by gripping the top and bottom of an adjusting buckle 34, for example, with the fingers of one hand and pulling the material of the waist band away from one side or the other of the buckle 34. If the material is pulled through an adjusting buckle in a direction away from the main belt buckle 22 so as to shorten the loop thereof which passes through the main belt buckle, the waist band circumferential dimension is increased. Adjustment in the opposite direction decreases the circumferential dimension of the waist band. Such size adjustments are preferably made in equal amounts at opposite sides of the waist band buckle 22 so as to avoid displacement of said buckle 22 to one side or the other of a person intending to wear the same.

The shoulder straps l4. and 16 which are intended to be worn crossed at the front and back of a person, as illustrated in FIG. 1, are each attached to the rear portion of the waist band 12 preferably with detachable fasteners such as the snaps 46 shown in FIG. 1. They may, however, be stitched in place if it is so desired. These attachments of the shoulder straps are made on the waist band adjacent a point thereon approximately diametrically opposite to the normal location of the main belt buckle 22.

While it has been customary heretofore to snap the forward ends of such shoulder straps to the waist band, the present invention provides belt loop connections 48 and 50 on the forward ends of the shoulder straps l4 and 16 respectively for making these adj oinments.

The belt loops 48 and 50 each embody a relatively short length of belt material of the type used for the waist band and shoulder straps of the safety belt 10 and the loops 48 and 50 are of such size as to fit relatively loosely around the waist band 12. Snap fasteners 51 are provided to secure the respective opposite ends of the belt loops 4S and 59 together. Two snap fasteners 51 are preferably provided on each belt loop to hold the opposite ends thereof approximately parallel to each other at all times.

The "belt loops 48 and 50 are connected to the forward ends of their respective shoulder straps l4 and 16 by means of connecting links 52 and 54 which are identical in construction to the above-described adjusting buckles 34 and 36 but utilized differently for this particular application.

The links 52 and 54, being like the adjusting buckles 34 and 36, each have a pair of juxtaposed slots 56 and 58 and belt loops 48 and 50 are directed through one of these slots 58 so as to depend from their respective shoulder straps 14 and 16.

The connection of the shoulder straps 14 and 16 to the links 52 and 54 is made by directing the shoulder strap material preferably from front to back through the other slots 56 in the particular links 52 and 54 which are intended to interconnect said shoulder straps 14 and 16 with the respective belt loops 48 and 50.

After being directed through the links 52 and 54, the shoulder strap material is looped back upon itself at the rear sides thereof and fitted into Suspender-type adjusting buckles 60 and 62 which are used to lengthen or shorten said shoulder straps for fitting purposes.

The adjusting buckles 60 and 62 are identical to the adjusting buckles 34 and 36 which were described in detail hereinabove and are operated in the same manner as the buckles 34 and 36 to lengthen or shorten the shoulder straps 14 and 16. In this respect, when the adjusting buckles 60 and 62 are moved toward their respective belt loops 48 and 50, the shoulder straps become lengthened and when they are moved in the opposite direction, the shoulder straps become shortened.

With the above safety belt construction wherein the forward ends of the shoulder straps 14 and 16 are connected to the waist band 12 by means of the belt loops 43 and 50, it can be seen that the waist band 12 may be adjusted to any circumferential dimension for fitting purposes without interference from the shoulder straps. The belt loops encircle the waist band and are not directly attached thereto. Thus, the adjusting buckles 34 and 36 may be moved to any desired position along the waist band 12 either to one side of the belt loops 48 and 50, as shown by full lines in FIG. 2, or to the other side thereof, as shown by dot-dash lines, or, if necessary, they may be adjusted to positions immediately under the belt loops. In this way, no limitation in length adjustment of either the waistband or shoulder straps is imposed and the belt being so universally adjustable, is adapted to be arranged to fit individual-s of substantially all different builds and sizes.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that improved, simple, and economical means and method have been provided :for accomplishing all of the objects and advantages of the invention. Nevertheless, it should be apparent that many changes in the details of construction, and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims and the invention is not to be limited to the exact matters shown and described as only preferred matters have been given by way of illustration.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A safety belt comprising a generally circular waistband and a pair of shoulder straps each formed of a relatively long and narrow piece of flexible material, a main belt buckle on said waistband embodying a pair of separable sections each having a slot therethrough, opposite ends of said material of said waistband each being relatively loosely directed through a respective one of said slots in said main belt buckle and reversely directed to adjoin the waistband proper, a pair of adjusting buckles on said waistband, one adjacent each side of said main belt buckle, said adjusting buckle being arranged to be slidably adjustable along said waistband toward and away from said main belt buckle and selectively fixed against sliding along said waistband, said ends of said waistband being arranged upon each of said respective adjust-ing buckles so as to be carried thereby as said adjusting buckles are slidably adjusted and fixed along said waistband proper, means connecting each of said shoulder straps adjacent one of their respective ends to said waistband at respective locations adjacent opposite sides of a point on said waistband diametrically opposite to the location of said main belt buckle, a pair of connecting members each having spaced substantially parallel slots, one of said connecting members being positioned on each of said shoulder straps adjacent the opposite respective ends thereof, the material of each of said shoulder straps being loosely directed through one of said parallel slots in each connecting member and reversely directed therefrom to adjoin the respective shoulder straps proper, an adjusting buckle on each of said shoulder straps which is arranged to be slidably adjusted therealong toward and away from the respective connecting members on said shoulder straps, said opposite ends of said shoulder straps being arranged upon their respectively adjacent adjusting buckles so as to be carried thereby as said adjusting buckles on said shoulder straps are slidably adjusted and fixed thereon, a detachable belt loop relatively loosely directed through the remaining one of said parallel slots in each of said connecting members and encircling said waistband at each side of said main belt buckle, said belt loops being formed of relatively narrow lengths of flexible material which are shorter than said shoulder straps, and fastening means adjacent opposite ends of said belt loops interconnectabl'e to join said opposite ends thereof in forming respective closed loops about said waistband and being detachable therefrom.

2. A safety belt comprising a generally circular waistband and a pair of shoulder straps each formed of a relatively long and narrow piece of flexible material, said waistband and shoulder straps each having brilliantly colored luminescent means secured to a side thereof intended to be exposed when said belt is in use, a main belt buckle on said waistband embodying a pair of separable sections each having a slot therethrough, opposite ends of said material of said waistband each being relatively loosely directed through a respective one of said slots in said main belt buckle and reversely directed to adjoin the waistband proper, a pair of adjusting buckles on said waistband, one adjacent each side of said main belt buckle, said adjusting buckle being arranged to be slidably adjustable along said waistband toward and away from said main belt buckle and selectively fixed against sliding along said waistband, said ends of said waistband being arranged upon each of said respective adjusting "buckles so as to be carried thereby as said adjusting buckles are slidably adjusted and fixed along said waistband proper, means connecting each of said shoulder straps adjacent one of their respective ends to said waistband at respective locations adjacent opposite sides "of a point on said waistband diametrically opposite to the location of said main belt buckle, a pair of connecting members each having spaced substantially parallel slots, one of said connecting members being positioned on each of said shoulder straps adjacent the opposite respective ends thereof, the material of each of said shoulder straps being loosely directed through one of said parallel slots in each connecting member and reversely directed therefrom to adjoin the respective shoulder straps proper, an adjusting buckle on each of said shoulder straps which is arranged to be slidably adjusted therealong toward and away from the respective connecting members on said shoulder straps, said opposite ends of said shoulder straps being arranged upon their respectively adjacent adjusting buckles so as to be carried thereby as said adjusting buckles on said shoulder straps are slidably adjusted and fixed thereon, a detachable belt loop relatively loosely directed through the remaining one of said parallel slots in each of said connecting members and encircling said waistband at each side of said main belt buckle, said belt loops being formed of relatively narrow lengths of flexible material which are shorter than said shoulder straps, and fastening means adjacent opposite ends of said belt loops interconnectable to join said opposite ends theuof in forming respective closed loops about said waistband and being detachable therefrom.

3. A safety belt comprising a generally circular waistband and a pair of shoulder straps each formed of a relatively long and narrow piece of flexible material having a strip of fabric secured to one side thereof extending along the major portions of their respective lengths, a coating of polyvinyl chloride on the exposed side of said strip of fabric containing luminescent material having dominant wavelengths between 595 and 605 mi-llimicrons and a luminescence factor of not less than 50% with an excitation purity of not less than a main belt buckle on said waistband embodying a pair of separable sections each having a slot therethrough, opposite ends of said material of said waistband each being relatively loosely directed through a respective one of said slots in said main belt buckle and reversely directed to adjoin the waistband proper, a pair of adjusting buckles on said waistband, one adjacent each side of said main belt buckle, said adjusting buckle being arranged to be slidably adjustable along said waistband toward and away from said main belt buckle and selectively fixed against sliding along said waistband, said ends of said waistband being arranged upon each of said respective adjusting buckles so as to be carried thereby as said adjusting buckles are slidably adjusted and fixed along said waistband proper, means cor.- necting each of said shoulder straps adjacent one of their respective ends to said waistband at respective locations adjacent opposite sides of a point on said waistband diametrically opposite to the location of said main belt buckle, a pair of connecting members each having spaced substantially parallel slots, one of said connecting members being positioned on each of said shoulder straps adjacent the opposite respective ends thereof, the material of each of said shoulder straps being loosely directed through one of said parallel slots in each connecting member and reversely directed therefrom to adjoin the respective shoulder straps proper, an adjusting buckle on each of said shoulder straps which is arranged to be slidably adjusted therealong toward and away from the respective connecting members on said shoulder straps, said opposite ends of said shoulder straps being arranged upon their respectively adjacent adjusting buckles so as to be carried thereby as said adjusting buckles on said shoulder straps are slidably adjust-ed and fixed thereon, a detachable belt loop relatively loosely directed through the remaining one of said parallel slots in each of said connecting members and encircling said Waistband at each side of said main belt buckle, said belt loops being formed of relatively narrow lengths of flexible material which are shorter than said 8 shoulder straps, and fastening means adjacent opposite end-s of said belt loops interconnectable to join said opposite ends thereof in forming respective closed loops about said Waistband and being detachable therefrom.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 834,419 Stewart Oct. 30, 1906 2,130,724 Lewis Sept. 20, 1938 2,342,005 Mittag Feb. 15, 1944 2,437,714 Thomason Mar. 16, 1948 2,682,669 Valentine et a1 July 6, 1954 2,686,308 Courtois Aug. 17, 1954 

1. A SAFTEY BELT COMPRISING A GENERALLY CIRCULAR WAISTBAND AND A PAIR OF SHOULDER STRAPS EACH FORMED OF A RELATIVELY LONG AND NARROW PIECE OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, A MAIN BELT BUCKLE ON SAID WAISTBAND EMBODYING A PAIR OF SEPARABLE SECTIONS EACH HAVING A SLOT THERETHROUGH, OPPOSITE END OF SAID MATERIAL OF SAID WAISTBAND EACH BEING RELATIVELY LOOSELY DIRECTED THROUGH A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID SLOTS IN SAID MAIN BELT BUCKLE AND REVERSELY DIRECTED TO ADJOIN THE WAISTBAND PROPER, A PAIR OF ADJUSTING BUCKLE ON SAID WAISTBAND, ONE ADJACENT EACH SIDE OF SAID MAIN BELT BUCKLE, SAID ADJUSTING BUCKLE BEING ARRANGED TO BE SLIDABLY ADJUSTABLE ALONG SAID WAISTBAND TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID MAIN BELT BUCKLE AND SELECTIVELY FIXED AGAINST SLIDING ALONG SAID WAISTBAND, SAID ENDS OF SAID WAISTBAND BEING ARRANGED UPON EACH OF SAID RESPECTIVE ADJUSTING BUCKLES SO AS TO BE CARRIED THEREBY AS SAID ADJUSTING BUCKLES ARE SLIDABLY ADJUSTED AND FIXED ALONG SAID WAISTBAND PROPER, MEANS CONNECTING EACH OF SAID SHOULDER STRAPS ADJACENT ONE OF THEIR RESPECTIVE ENDS TO SAID WAISTBAND AT RESPECTIVE LOCATIONS ADJACENT OPPOSITE SIDES OF A POINT ON SAID WAISTBAND DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE TO THE LOCATION OF SAID MAIN BELT BUCKLE, A PAIR OF CONNECTING MEMBERS EACH HAVING SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL SLOTS, ONE OF SAID CONNECTING MEMBERS BEING POSITIONED ON EACH OF SAID SHOULDER STRAPS, ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE RESPECTIVE ENDS THEREOF, THE MATERIAL OF EACH OF SAID SHOULDER STRAPS BEING LOOSELY DIRECTED THROUGH ONE OF SAID PARALLEL SLOTS IN EACH CONNECTING MEMBER AND REVERSELY DIRECTED THEREFROM TO ADJOIN THE RESPECTIVE SHOULDER STRAPS PROPER, AN ADJUSTING BUCKLE ON EACH OF SAID SHOULDER WHICH IS ARRANGED TO BE SLIDABLY ADJUSTED THEREALONG TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE RESPECTIVE CONNECTING MEMBERS ON SAID SHOULDER STRAPS, SAID OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID SHOULDER STRAPS BEING ARRANGED UPON THEIR RESPECTIVELY ADJACENT ADJUSTING BUCKLES SO AS TO BE CARRIED THEREBY AS SAID ADJUSTING BUCKLES ON SAID SHOULDER STRAPS ARE SLIDABLY ADJUSTED AND FIXED THEREON, A DETACHABLE BELT LOOP RELATIVELY LOOSELY DIRECTED THROUGH THE REMAINING ONE OF SAID PARALLEL SLOTS IN EACH OF SAID CONNECTING MEMBERS AND ENCIRCLING SAID WAISTBAND AT EACH SIDE OF SAID MAIN BELT BUCKLE, SAID BELT LOOPS BEING FORMED OF RELATIVELY NARROW LENGTHS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL WHICH ARE SHORTER THAN SAID SHOULDER STRAPS, AND FASTENING MEANS ADJACENT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID BELT LOOPS INTERCONNECTABLE TO JOIN SAID OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF IN FORMING RESPECTIVE CLOSED LOOPS ABOUT SAID WAISTBAND AND BEING DETACHABLE THEREFROM. 